Caves of Deception
by Gema J. Gall
Summary: After the Shadowland Trilogy. The Shadowlord is not done with his plot to take over Deltora. Now Lief, Jasmine, and Barda must face the very heart of his power: The Caves of Deception. But what about the young girl...?
1. Nightmares

Deltora Quest; Shadowlands Fan Fiction  
  
Cave of Deeception  
  
By: Gema J. Gall  
  
Disclaimer: Emily Rodda..Gema J. Gall. Emily Rodda..Gema J. Gall. Emily Rodda..Gema J. Gall. Get the idea?  
  
AN/ This is a sequel to the Shadowlands trilogy, which is after the eight Deltora Quest books. Y'all had better of finished the trilogy before you read this.  
  
*Once again my plans have been ruined by that brat,* snarled the Shadowlord. His voice had the dangerous quality of a dual-tone. The reverberation was terrifying.  
  
He stood up and began pacing again. Out of sheer malice he'd blast anything in sight. This caused the other person in the room to whimper in terror.  
  
*Silence, you!* snapped the Shadowlord, furious.  
  
The girl did, out of fear for her life. She curled into a tighter ball in a desperate attempt to escape from the nightmare she was living.  
  
Pacing helped the Shadowlord think. He had never been one to take defeat. And he was never without a plan. In a few quick steps he was across the room. The girl cowered even more, her green eyes wide with fright.  
  
*I still have plans for you,* he said, looking down at her. He enjoyed watching her tremble. Watching any other creature suffer was a source of great satisfaction for him.  
  
*Yes,* he said again to himself. Another plan was forming. *You will be my key. The key to the downfall of Deltora and the key to my eternal reign.*  
  
He laughed evilly, causing the girl even more fear. He then pounded on a symbol on the wall, a summoning for one of his most loyal servants, a high ranking general by normal standards.  
  
The servant came and he began to discuss the new plan with the Shadowlord.  
  
The girl in the cage back into the furthest corner she could. She was crying, not for the first time. She put her head on her knees, her raven colored hair flowing around her.  
  
"Someone, please... save me," she thought in futile desperation.  
  
**************************************************************************** **  
  
Deltora...  
  
Jasmine woke with a start. It was so sudden Kree fluttered around the room after being disturbed form his sleep.  
  
Jasmine took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She had had a nightmare, and not for the first time. Ever since she had returned to Del from the Shadowlands she had had nightmares. It didn't seem to matter that Lief finally admitted he loved her and that now they were engaged. It didn't matter that everyone was happy and Deltora was safe. The nightmares still came, brought on by her guilt.  
  
The girl Faith was in each and everyone. No, that was incorrect. The illusion Faith was in each one. Sometimes she was laughing at Jasmine. Other times she was begging, and other times she would cry. But in the end it was the same. She somehow managed to deceive Jasmine into betraying Lief and Barda, and sometimes even all of Deltora.  
  
"I will not think of her," said Jasmine, with as much determination as she could muster. But she knew that was a lie. "I will stop feeling guilty over it."  
  
She pounded a fist on the castle wall in frustration. Filli heard this and scampered over, trying to comfort her. She petted his fur absent-mindedly.  
  
"I think what I need is some fresh air," she said, at length. "I have not been back to the Forest of Silence since I left. I think it is time we return for a while."  
  
Kree chattered back at her, happily. Even Filli seemed to enjoy the idea.  
  
"Yes, let's go," answered Jasmine. "It should help clear my mind." 


	2. Family Feud

Jasmine slipped out of the palace early that morning. All of her experience in the wild had not abandoned her, so sneaking passed the guards proved too easy. Once they were out of sight of the palace's windows, Kree took to the skies. Filli chattered on her shoulder.

"I left a note," she sighed. "They know I can take care of myself. With the Shadowlord gone the Forest of Silence is hardly a terror anymore."

"That's still no reason for you to be running of like this," said a deep voice from behind her.

Jasmine whirled around. Doom was standing back in the shadows, watching her like a hawk.

"How did you know I was here?" Jasmine asked, a bit ticked.

"I happen to see you in the hall as you slipped passed the patrol," replied Doom. "You've had your fun, now come back inside."

Jasmine was taken off guard by his appearance, startled, stressed, and half sleep-deprived, not a good combination. "Make me!"

Doom seemed a bit taken back by her attitude. He saw her reply as a challenge to his authority. His eyes narrowed. "You know I can if I have to, but I'd rather not have things get that out of hand."

"You can make me?" Jasmine said with mock laughter. "In case you've forgotten, I was the one who knocked you out during the Rithmore games."

Doom smirked slightly, which continued to grate on Jasmine's raw nerves. "If you want to think that, go right on ahead. You know I let you win."

Jasmine glared at him, green fire burning in her eyes. "You looked pretty beaten to me, you just can't admit it, can you?"

"You'll never know the answer to that. Now come inside before you have everyone worried about you," said Doom, his voice taking on a slightly paternal quality to it.

Jasmine turned away from him and continued walking.

"That's no way for the future queen to be acting," Doom said.

"I don't care," Jasmine snapped. "I'm not going to stop acting like myself just to fit some stupid title and everyone else is going to have to deal with it. I'm leaving." She was getting close to the wall of the castle.

In a flash Doom was standing in front of her, stopping her from going any further.

"Get out of my way!" snapped Jasmine.

"Don't take that tone with me!" Doom shot back. "I'm your father, so listen to me and get this stupid idea out of your head!"

"You're not my father! You never were there when I needed you! My father is dead!!" yelled Jasmine.

With that she leapt into the air, using his shoulder as a springboard, just as she did in Rithmore. His shoulders became another tree branch to her. She only lingered there for a moment, the jumped the rest of the way up the castle wall and landed, perfectly balanced, on top. The momentum of her take off forced Doom down, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Doom fell backwards and hit his head on the wall. He landed hard and didn't move.

Jasmine looked down. "Now I know what happened in Rithmore." Then she jumped down the other side of the wall and landed softly in the grass.

"Are you okay Filli?" she asked the tiny creature in her pocket. Filli chattered contently. The Jasmine turned her attention to the sky, looking for Kree. Jasmine frowned. She couldn't see Kree's dark silhouette in the sky.

"Kree?" Jasmine called softly, not wanting to give away her position. But she still did not see her bird. "He'll be back. But I have to get going before anyone finds me."

Jasmine ducked into the alleys of Del, ready to start out to her first home.

"Lief!" called Barda, that same morning.

"Barda? What is it?" asked the King of Del.

"Have you seen Jasmine anywhere? No one can find her," said Barda. "We tried to find Doom to help us look, but he is missing too."

"Maybe they went off together somewhere," suggested Lief.

"Without telling anyone? I doubt it," replied Barda.

"Keep looking for them. I'll see what I can find."

Before Barda could reply, there was a knock at the door of the study.

"Come in," called Lief.

Two guards did, carrying unconscious Doom between them.

"Doom!" gasped Barda and Lief.

"What happened?!" demanded Barda.

"We don't know," answered one of the guards. "We found him unconscious by the outer walls."

"Was Jasmine with him?" asked Lief, anxiously.

"He was alone sir," replied the guard.

"Do you know what happened?" asked Barda.

"No. He has a nasty bump on his head, and I think he might have been attacked," answered the other guard.

"But who would attack him?" asked Barda.

"We don't know," answered the first guard.

"Guards, set a unit to begin searching the castle for an intruder," ordered Lief. "And send for a nurse to see to Doom."

"Yes sir," replied both guards with a bow as they left.

AN/ Sorry for the very late update. I have way too many fics for my own good and I can't keep up with them. I'm also sorry for the shortness of the chapter.


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